LEADING OFF

A drop of sweat slid toward Kobe Bryant's right eye on Sunday as he warmed up for Game 2 of the NBA Finals in Los Angeles. Bryant would score 29 points while leading the Lakers to a 101--96 overtime defeat of the Magic and a 2--0 lead in the series (page 34).

Giant Victory

San Francisco pitcher Randy Johnson made a diving throw to first base last Thursday to put out Nationals pinch hitter Anderson Hernandez in the sixth inning of the first game of a doubleheader. The Giants prevailed 5--1, and the 45-year-old Johnson, in his 22nd season, became the 24th pitcher to win 300 games.

Kobe Bryant was the center of attention as the Lakers and the Magic faced off for the NBA title, but it was a less glamorous story line—the chess match under the basket—that was determining the course of the Finals

He meets with former presidents, counsels the U.N. and, oh, yeah, makes more than any NFL player, but Raiders cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha can still walk unrecognized through America's biggest city. Not for much longer

Helio Castroneves drove through a shower of sparks last Thursday during a practice run at Texas Motor Speedway after the skid plate of the car in front of him scraped the track surface at more than 200 mph. Two days later in Fort Worth, Castroneves won the Bombardier Learjet 500K for his 16th IndyCar title.

Caught On Tape

The finish-line ribbon didn't give way easily to Gelete Burka of Ethiopia (106) on Sunday at the 35th Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Ore. Burka edged Jennifer Barringer of the U.S. by .01 of a second to win the women's 1,500 meters in 3:59.89.

PHOTOPhotograph by John W. McDonoughPHOTOPhotograph by Nick Wass/APPHOTOPhotograph by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty ImagesPHOTOPhotograph by Kirby Lee/Image of Sport/US Presswire